Marvel's The Punisher: "Resupply"Review

There’s a captivating pace to The Punisher that distinguishes it from many of the other Marvel Netflix shows. It feels like the writers are in a race to get to the ending out of fear of being canceled prematurely. Steve Lightfoot and his team are putting everything out there for us to see, and that sense of urgency is fueling the story and the characters within it to greatness.

I’ve been critical of Agent Madani and Sam Stein since the beginning. Watching them stuck in an office talking about cases and procedures all day is about as boring as it gets. If this were an episode of Law & Order, then their procedurally-based plotlines would be forgiven. Thankfully, Stein and Madani were finally allowed to get their hands dirty along with Frank and David in an ending that was the highlight of the episode.

New Marvel's The Punisher Photos

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Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle and Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page.

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Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle and Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page.

New Marvel's The Punisher Photos

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Madani proved she has what it takes to keep up with the toughest of vigilantes. Frank might not have said it out loud, but she earned his respect.There was some thought-provoking imagery throughout the final sequence, like the different types of Mustangs.

“I only buy American” was a great one-liner from Frank, but the difference between the old and the new is worth touching on. This isn’t a critique, but wouldn’t it have made more sense for Frank to drive the classic car and Madani the newer model? It’s difficult to not think of John Wick and his preference for classic cars in a scenario like this. Even the warehouse scene with David and Frank was reminiscent of the opening from John Wick 2, though The Punisher had a much lower body count. Again, this was just an interesting stylistic choice, but the scene wasn’t worse for it. Perhaps we’ll find out the reason for her love of classic cars in a future episode?

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A hero as powerful and well-connected as Thor is bound to have a large wardrobe. These are the most memorable Thor costumes from Marvel's comics, TV series, movies and games.

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A hero as powerful and well-connected as Thor is bound to have a large wardrobe. These are the most memorable Thor costumes from Marvel's comics, TV series, movies and games.

A Visual History of Thor

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Either way, Madani’s rough introduction to Frank produces some fascinating scenarios. Unlike many of the characters in this series, Madani isn’t from any of the comic books, so speculating on where her character might go can be difficult. What’s certain is that she’s searching for justice for a cop who was murdered for no reason by a man Frank and David refer to as Agent Orange. While Frank may have pulled the trigger, it was Agent Orange that gave the order and forced the troops to engage a target they didn’t need to fight.

She doesn’t know it yet, but they are all on the same side. Hopefully, it’s just a matter of time until she joins Team Punisher. The only problem might be her obsession to prove to her bosses that she’s the right person for the job. Madani is fearless and a little reckless at times as we saw in the car chase, but would she break away from Homeland Security to team up with Frank and David? We’ll have to wait and see, but watching her struggle with that choice would make for a compelling story.

Exit Theatre Mode

Daniel Webber gave another solid performance as Lewis Walcott. He’s quickly turning into someone who could potentially be the deciding factor in how this whole story plays out. Look at it this way; Lewis is dangerously floating between two major characters. We still don’t know much about Billy Russo, but he’s not a fan of Billy after his dismissal from Anvil, and now that he knows about Curtis’ interference, he’s not on his side either. Lewis is a loaded gun waiting to go off at any moment. Where he chooses to focus all of that anger and frustration could have dire consequences for those closest to him.

There’s a lot to look forward to after an episode like this. Bernthal and Moss-Bachrach are the perfect odd couple who deserve their own sitcom. The adventures of Frank as Sarah’s handyman are always enjoyable, and a special appearance by our favorite neighborhood crook Turk (Rob Morgan) was a welcomed surprise. The Punisher keeps getting better with each episode, and now that Madani is officially out of the office, the sky’s the limit.

The Verdict

Frank and David's complicated relationship is one of the show's strongest attributes and gets even better in "Resupply." There's a nice balance of drama and comedy that will hopefully carry through to the end. It was also nice to see Madani and Stein get in on the action too.

Great

The Punisher's sense of urgency is fueling the story and the characters within it to greatness.